


once upon a time

by sunshinemysme (orphan_account)



Category: Mystic Messenger (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, Alternate Universe - Royalty, Angst, Character Death, Dark Fairy Tale Elements, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Holding Hands, Implied Sexual Content, Kissing, Knight!Jumin, M/M, Making Out, Middle Ages, Prince!Yoosung, Suggestive Themes, Unhappy Ending, Unreliable Narrator, big emphasis on the unreliable narrator
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-19
Updated: 2019-11-19
Packaged: 2021-02-13 12:51:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21494602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/sunshinemysme
Summary: In which Yoosung is a prince who wants nothing more than a happy ending, and Jumin is a knight sworn to protect him with his life.
Relationships: Han Jumin/Kim Yoosung
Kudos: 23
Collections: mysme fics uwu





	once upon a time

Years and years ago, in a bedroom of a grand, stone castle, Prince Yoosung would look out his window and count the flowers in the garden and the stars in the night sky.

During the days, when the sun was bright, he would look down upon the vast garden and point out each flower that caught his eye. During the nights, when the sky was clear, he would look up to the endless stars in space, the comets, the moon, the constellations.

It was almost like a fairy tale, he thought—the prince wishing upon a shooting star and holding the flowers close to his heart. A beautiful, perfect fairy tale, with a happy ending.

So he’d look down at the garden every day and look up at the sky every night, staring, counting, wishing, and laugh at the irony.

/

Although he wished for it countless times upon countless stars, he could never travel through outer space. But he could wander down the halls to find his knight, Sir Jumin Han, and ask him to accompany him to the garden.

One sunny morning, Jumin answered gratefully, giving a warm smile and offering the prince his arm. Yoosung took it, letting Jumin lead him down the hall and out the door to the courtyard. The flowers greeted them with their usual, bright feeling.

Jumin grasped Yoosung’s hand, holding it tightly as they walked down the steps. He thanked Jumin for his kindness, face heating up when he dropped to one knee, kissing the prince’s hand.

He looked up, eyes meeting Yoosung’s, placing one more kiss to the back of his hand before letting it go and giving the prince up to the garden.

/ 

Through the green path, Yoosung walked, fingers gliding across flower petals and leaves and stems. The sun shone from behind the clouds, a breeze blowing lightly against his skin.

He wrapped his hand around a flower, a beautiful, white flower, and picked it, holding it up to his nose to enjoy its scent. A few more steps down the long, circular path before Jumin once again came into view, leaning against the castle wall.

Jumin smiled when he saw the prince and his flower, the sunlight gleaming against his armor.

“You’re back.”

Yoosung nodded kindly.

“Did you enjoy your stroll?”

The prince answered by giving the white flower to the knight.

In a fairy tale, birds would sing and fly around them, but there were none in sight.

It was a beautiful moment nonetheless, Jumin accepting the gift with a smile. God, his smile—slight, lips barely turning up, but a bright, warm smile that made Yoosung’s heart flutter. He was _handsome_, more attractive than any of the royalty that Yoosung had met, more noble than the highest kings and queens. He was loyal, kind, trustworthy, the perfect knight appointed to protect the prince—the _prince_, who was infatuated.

He’d always looked at the knight from afar with a sense of admiration and longing and love. Whether it was a flawless fairy tale love, he couldn’t tell—but it was love, and if he could walk through the garden with the one he loved, for the rest of his days, he would be happy.

“Do you want to take a walk with me?”

He took Jumin’s hand. The knight’s eyes widened.

“You want to... walk?” Jumin asked.

“How often does a knight get a break?” He smiled. “Spend time with me. Just... the two of us.” Alone together, walking through the garden, hand in hand, warm skin against cold metal.

Jumin glanced down at their intertwined fingers and back up at the prince. Yoosung could see it in his eyes—they’d held hands when Jumin led his way, down the halls and during events, kissing his hand before letting it go, but never, ever held hands like this. It seemed... warmer, more intimate, almost like Yoosung wanted to change the roles and kiss Jumin’s hand for once.

He let out a sigh, and did just that. It wasn’t comfortable kissing metal armor, but knowing it was Jumin’s hand made him content.

Yoosung pulled Jumin along, once again down the path, alone together, walking through the garden, hand in hand, warm skin against cold metal.

/

Jumin’s dark eyes darted from flower to stem to petal, hand gripping Yoosung’s at the mere sound of a squirrel running through the courtyard. The prince laughed in response. The knight barely smiled.

When they reached a bench, they took a seat. The cold metal around Yoosung’s hand tightened in protectiveness. Jumin’s eyes were focused.

“Are you okay?” Yoosung asked. He glanced at the sheath holding Jumin’s sword, and the way he was gripping the handle. “... Sir Jumin—”

“Yes?”

“The garden is the safest place on Earth.”

Jumin let out a sigh. “Your majesty...” he said, “... sometimes... I worry.”

“Why?”

“I worry that I won’t always be able to protect you.”

He was loyal, kind, trustworthy, the perfect knight appointed to protect the prince—the _prince_, who hated to think about the extent of his work, the highs he had to reach to ensure Yoosung’s safety.

One of those extents, a thorn in Yoosung’s side: Jumin’s own death.

Yoosung hugged Jumin’s arm, resting his head on his shoulder. He could feel the knight tense up before relaxing, letting go of Yoosung’s hand to tentatively rub his thigh. Tears pricked at the corner of the prince’s eyes.

“You shouldn’t w-worry about me.”

“Your majesty—”

“I worry about you.” He turned to look Jumin in the eye. “If it- if it comes to it, you’ll h-have to _die_ for me, Jumin.” He shook his head in denial. “I couldn’t live with myself if that happened...”

Amid the silence, the wind shook the leaves. He rubbed Jumin’s arm, hugging it tighter, holding back tears. Jumin’s voice was soft and hesitant.

“It’s my duty to protect you, your highness.”

“But I care about you.”

“You—”

It was almost like a fairy tale, he thought—the prince so close to confessing his love for the knight. A beautiful, perfect fairy tale, with a happy ending.

“I care about you...” His voice was barely above a whisper, leaning closer to Jumin, the knight’s hands gliding closer to his waist. Jumin’s worried eyes darted to his lips and back up again, biting his own bottom lip, and Yoosung’s heart beat faster and faster.

In a beautiful moment, closer to that of a fairy tale, Yoosung cupped Jumin’s face in his hands, closed his eyes, leaned forward, and kissed him.

Warmth grew between them, Jumin’s hands resting on Yoosung’s waist. The kiss was soft, breaking after a second before they leaned in again and met at the middle. Yoosung’s fingers tugged at Jumin’s hair and he hummed into the kiss.

When Jumin moved closer against him, tongue gliding past his lips, Yoosung’s arms flung around his neck, their kisses growing shorter, quicker, more passionate. Feeling Jumin’s hands on his waist and his thigh, the way he moved his kisses from his lips to his cheek to his neck—Yoosung’s thoughts slipped out of his mouth when Jumin’s teeth nipped at his skin.

“Marry me.”

Jumin sucked in a breath.

“What—?”

“Run away with me.” The knight lifted his head from Yoosung’s neck with a look of confusion. A tear escaped Yoosung’s eye. “We can- we can have a life together, Jumin, if we—”

“But you are the _prince_.”

“I don’t care.” His voice was firm, soft kisses pressed to Jumin’s lips. “I’d rather give up my duties as prince, and save your life, than have you die for me. Let’s run away. Let’s get married and- and have a happy ending, okay?” His voice shook with sobs and he gripped Jumin’s hair in desperation.

The knight hugged Yoosung’s waist and pulled him closer, and the prince let himself melt into the hug, feeling Jumin’s soft kisses against the back of his head. 

He whispered between sobs, breathing heavy, confessing to Jumin in a low voice, softly—

_“I love you.”_

—speaking into Jumin’s ear—

_“Marry me. Please.”_

—and hugging him tighter, eyes screwed shut to hold back tears, his sobs becoming soft whimpers into the spring air. He could feel Jumin tracing circles into his clothes and calming him down with his warm, kind touch, even against his metal armor.

“Your highness...”

Was this a fairy tale?

“I love you, too.”

And the knight loved him back.

Whether it was a flawless fairy tale love, he couldn’t tell—but it was love, and if he could marry the one he loved, and be with him for the rest of his days, he would be happy.

/

The knight’s warm cuddles had calmed him down, and soon enough, they found themselves back at the castle, hands clasped together. Tears dried on his face, Yoosung laughed when they slipped past the view of a guard, into a vacant hallway.

Yoosung pressed Jumin’s back against the wall and kissed him, hands gliding up his chest and into his hair, Jumin hugging his waist. He pushed closer against him, biting the knight’s bottom lip, and smiling against the kiss.

“What if—”

Jumin’s voice was cut off by another kiss.

“—someone sees us? I’ll get the iron chair.”

“By my power, I’ll make sure that never happens.”

They could run away before any of that happened, get married, and live happily ever after.

Yoosung leaned his forehead against Jumin’s, voice low.

“Come to dinner with me tomorrow night.”

He had a dinner scheduled with a neighboring kingdom, and he knew Jumin would escort him there, but—

“I want you next to me, now and forever.”

Jumin’s eyes were conflicted, but his lips soon turned up into a smile, and he answered with a slight nod, and a kiss to the top of Yoosung’s head.

His hands glided over Yoosung’s clothes, up and down, admiring every part of his body he could touch, astonishment in his eyes that made Yoosung grin.

“You are... so beautiful,” Jumin said, and Yoosung laughed again, kissing the knight with eagerness, his own hands gripping and scratching at Jumin’s armor.

And, just like they entered the castle, they slipped into another hallway, kissed again, and moved quickly, hand-in-hand, to the prince’s bedroom.

/

Rarely had he seen the knight without armor, and it made undressing him all the more exciting.

Jumin pulled him against his lap, hands roaming around his body, their kisses slow and passionate. Yoosung gripped Jumin’s clothes, gasping when the knight’s fingers slipped under his shirt.

Yoosung tugged at his shirt, pulling it off, holding Jumin closer and kissing him deeply, tongue pushing past his lips.

Jumin pulled Yoosung’s waist, hips meeting, and the rush of euphoria and the sound Yoosung made, the low moans coming from Jumin—it was _beautiful_, like a fairy tale.

He pinned Jumin onto the bed, leaning over him, his movements rhythmic, the sounds of their lovemaking filling the room, and the rest was a stream of consciousness.

He let out his last moan and collapsed onto the knight. Jumin’s embrace sent him into slumber almost immediately, head against his chest, feeling his breathing and hearing the tender nothings whispered into the air.

Warmth, unlike anything he’d ever known, and as Jumin rubbed his back, he melted into that warmth.

/

The prince woke up alone, after the knight had mandatorily returned to his post.

He looked out his window and counted the flowers in the garden and the stars in the night sky.

/

The next day, he dashed down the hallway to Jumin’s post, jumping into his embrace, slinging his arms around his neck. The hug was quick, and he placed a rushed kiss to Jumin’s cheek.

“I love you,” he said.

“And I, you.”

He swam in Jumin’s eyes.

“You were amazing.”

“Your majesty.” He took Yoosung’s hand, brought it to his lips, and kissed it. “You were as amazing as ever.”

He _made love_ to his knight—he looked at him with a sense of admiration and longing and... love. Whether it was a flawless fairy tale love...

The prince smoothed out his clothes, and the knight offered him his arm with a smile. He leaned against Jumin’s shoulder and hummed, relaxing into his touch.

Arm in arm, they walked down the hall and through the door to the dining room.

/

Prince Yoosung wasn’t... fond of dinners with nobles. He would get scolded by his parents when using improper table manners, and roll his eyes at that. Sir Jumin Han, sitting next to him, stifled a laugh, and reached under the table to take his hand.

The neighboring kingdom’s princess, Sarah Choi, had glaring eyes, and it was almost frightening. Yoosung’s parents made friendly conversation with her parents, and the prince stared down at his food, glancing up to see Sarah’s eyes on Jumin.

Yoosung tightened his grip on Jumin’s hand in protectiveness.

“You seem to be very close to the prince, Sir Jumin,” the princess said.

_Oh god, oh god—_

The iron chair entered his mind. He let go of Jumin’s hand, but the knight grabbed it again.

“We are close,” Jumin said. “My job is to protect his majesty.”

“That’s interesting,” she said, “because my knight simply escorted me to this event.”

_“What if someone sees us?”_

_What if someone finds out?_

Sarah’s smug look was terrifying. She sipped her drink, eyes never leaving Jumin’s, and Yoosung’s face went red. He recited the colors of flowers in his head, the shapes of the stars in the sky.

With his free hand, he took his own drink, and Sarah grinned.

“My kingdom often utilizes the stocks and pillories,” she said. The three once again went silent.

Her eyes locked on the prince’s. He gave a quick, fake smile, and brought the drink to his lips, sipping slowly.

Sarah leaned over to talk to her father, the king, laughing. It was confusing, to say the least, when Yoosung put down his drink and Jumin’s eyes widened, glancing from the princess to the prince.

“Your highness.” His voice shook with worry.

“What is it?”

_“Your highness.”_

Jumin gripped his shoulders, and his vision became blurry and his head was pounding and the world was spinning and it was _painful, painful—_

_“Son of a bitch—!”_

Poison.

He could feel his eyes closing, and his body was on fire, collapsing into Jumin’s arms, the toxins coursing through his veins. The world was spinning, and he tried to say Jumin’s name, an incomprehensible word.

_“We need a doctor!”_

The room faded away. In the warmth of Jumin’s embrace, he lay to rest, the knight’s grieving and infuriated cries muffled, his senses slowly leaving him.

_“No, no, no—!”_

_No._

_No._

_No._

/

He awoke in his bed.

The knight’s embrace was warm, loving, protective, and he kissed and kissed and kissed him on his head and his cheek and his lips. When he opened his eyes, Jumin gave a sigh of relief, and kissed him again.

Confused, disjointed, numb, he tried to return the hugs and kisses, head against Jumin’s chest, tears flowing from his eyes.

“You’re alive,” Jumin said. His voice was a soft whisper. “I’m alive.”

He noticed the scars around Jumin’s body, the bruises on his arms, the blood-red scar around his _neck_—and Yoosung’s own body was pale, limbs rendered useless.

“We’re going to run away, Yoosung. We’re going to get married and have a happy ending. Everything you wanted.”

_Everything he wanted._

It was perfect. Too perfect. It was a flawless fairy tale love. If he could marry the one he loved, and be with him for the rest of his days...

He would be alive.

Was this a fairy tale?

_No._

_No._

_No._

“Why can’t I live in a fairy tale? Why can’t I have a happy ending?”

He was sobbing into the crook of Jumin’s neck, pleading, voice shook with sorrow.

_“Why are we dead?! Why can’t this be real?!”_

The knight only held him tighter.

Maybe... he could live in a fairy tale, with a happy ending, if only in his head—he could dream of marriage and everlasting happiness. He was in love with Jumin, in love with the idea of this perfect, beautiful fairy tale, that he could never have.

Things didn’t have to end this way.

He refused to believe they ended this way.

This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real. This was real.

“I love you,” he said.

They were going to run away, get married, spend their life together.

“I love you, too.”

And live happily ever after.

**Author's Note:**

> uwu
> 
> i rly wanted to use an unreliable narrator and a fairy tale gone wrong for one of my fics
> 
> thank u for reading!
> 
> tumblr: bisexualray


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